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After reading Assurban and Tim's posts, I do agree. I realize that people should be treated with a level of respect and dignity, and that these forums were intended for people living with HIV - the AM I INFECTED forum exists solely as a courtesy for those with queries.

I also understand that I will NEVER know the depths of crazy a person can sink into when a child of theirs is concerned. I am not a parent. Not of humans, anyhow... and I know the depths of crazy which I have explored when one of my pets grows ill or dies.

I think it is imperative that, at the very least, each of us understands the virus that runs through our body. Understands how it got there, how it gets to other people, what it does. I am often aggravated when people do not do this, and I have become a little thin-skinned when it comes to offerin support to those who have not achieved that measure.

It is not nice of me, it is not charitable, and it is neither kind nor supportive.

I also agree with the assessment of the sticky thread. Rarely do people read them. AM I is proof of that. I just often search the universe for a way to make information not only available, but mandatory. Such a thing is not possible, I think.

I will try to temper myself in the support forums, and exercise the patience that has, on many occasions, been shown to me when I have had a lapse.

I've reread my post and want to apologize for the tone. Because I've had trouble reconciling my own emotional reactions to my intellectual understanding, I could really identify with dingowarrior. (As Tim pointed out, when children are involved, there's an added emotional dimension.) That made me a bit abrupt in my post to you and I'm sorry.

I do think we should continue a discussion about how to support people becoming informed and internalizing that information -- but maybe with a "reset" on the name and the emotions around it. I started a thread in Living With on the topic.

I've reread my post and want to apologize for the tone. Because I've had trouble reconciling my own emotional reactions to my intellectual understanding, I could really identify with dingowarrior. (As Tim pointed out, when children are involved, there's an added emotional dimension.) That made me a bit abrupt in my post to you and I'm sorry.

I do think we should continue a discussion about how to support people becoming informed and internalizing that information -- but maybe with a "reset" on the name and the emotions around it. I started a thread in Living With on the topic.

Of course forgiven. I myself have been more cranky than usual as of late. Been going through some awesomely wretched stuff as of late, and it's really affecting me more than I care to admit. We never know the person behind the keyboard, or what his/her story is except what we are told. I don't share much on here, because I am not here all the time.

I hope you got some good ideas from the thread that you started.

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"Many people, especially in the gay community, turn to oral sex as a safer alternative in the age of AIDS. And with HIV rates rising, people need to remember that oral sex is safer sex. It's a reasonable alternative."

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Oops i forgot the emoticon and tricked Hellraiser into that! Sorry! I loved Kate Millet as a kid, AND she had all those kinda scarey (to my little brain at the time) traits / stereotypes I labeled her with. Sorry to you Hell and sorry to all the superstar feminists.

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“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx